A subscriber identity module (SIM) included in a conventional terminal device exists in a form of a physical card, and a VSIM may replace the physical SIM card to implement a function of the physical SIM card. The function includes storing subscriber data, for example, an international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI); and an encryption algorithm and information about a key that are in the SIM, where the encryption algorithm includes A3 and A8 and may be preset in a terminal device, and the information about a key includes a Key identifier (Ki). The Ki is a key for transferring encrypted data between the SIM card and an operator, and the Ki cooperates with the IMSI and serves as an authentication key for authentication of a subscriber identity when the terminal device accesses a network via the card. The Ki of the SIM card of a mobile phone is cracked, numerous phone cards of a same number may be copied. After a VSIM is used, a mobile operator may not use an entity SIM to bind a telephone number to a terminal. While the mobile operator directly provides the VSIM to the terminal, which reduces a cost of accessing a network by a subscriber, a production cost of the terminal, and operating and management costs of the mobile operator.
However, an existing distributing method of a VSIM requires that the terminal device must have a function of accessing a network to acquire installation information of a VSIM, which limits distribution and application of the VSIM.